Live: Chautala supporters burn effigy of CBI, state govt

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Last Updated: Wed, Jan 23, 2013 14:21 hrs

8.00 pm:

Chautala supporters burn effigy of CBI, state govt

The students' wing of INLD today burnt the effigies of Haryana government and CBI here on the Ambala-Hisar road to protest the arrest of Om Parkash Chautala and Ajay Chautala in the JBT teachers' appointment scam.

President of Ambala INSO Vivek Chaudhary accused the Congress and the CBI of hatching a conspiracy against the former Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala to defame him.

He said that in fact Chautala had highlighted the scams of Congress government for which the Congress implicated him.

Meanwhile, the INLD has decided to hold demonstrations at all the 20 district headquarters in the state from January 25 to February 4, INLD President Ashok Arora said in Chandigarh.

7.00 pm:

Congress puts ups hundreds of illegal posters praising Rahul Gandhi

Defying a law against defacement of public places, sycophantic Congress leaders in the capital have vied with one another in hailing the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as party vice president by plastering the city with congratulatory posters.

Hundreds of posters and billboards, in English and in Hindi, have been pasted on trees, lamp posts, bus stops and even push carts.

Many of them read: "Heartiest congratulations Rahulji", "Hardhik bhadiyan and aapka dhanyivaad" (congratulations and thankyou).

Civic agency officials, who did not want to be named, admitted the posters at public places were illegal but blamed non-cooperation from police for delay in removing them.

The Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007, prescribes a maximum imprisonment of one year and a fine of upto Rs.50,000 for violators.

A civic official said it was the joint responsibility of the municipal corporation's advertisement cell, traffic police and police to remove the illegal hoardings, posters and take action against offenders.

6. 00 pm

Karnataka speaker lands self, ruling BJP in a row

Karnataka assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah Wednesday landed himself and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in a major controversy as he was not present in his office to receive the resignation letters of 13 BJP rebel legislators.

Speculation was rife about his whereabouts - from he has gone out of the country to he has been sent to a neighbouring state by the ruling party to delay receiving the resignation letters.

The issue has now reached Governor H.R. Bhardwaj as the 13 legislators met and briefed him about the absence of the speaker and sought a probe into it.

5. 10 pm

Some points raised by the Verma panel:

- Every district magistrate should prepare census of missing children.

- Delhi gangrape case shows the failures of traffic regulations, maintenance OF law and order and dealing of sexual assault cases.

- Police action on peaceful protestors scarred Indian democracy.

- Verma Committee recommends appointment of Special Commissioners with adequate powers to redress complaints of sexual violence against women in conflict areas.

- Ambiguity over the control of Delhi Police should be cleared.

- What is needed to enforce laws is the sensitivity on the part of those who implement it: Justice Verma on tackling crime against women.

4.15 pm:

'Lukewarm response from ministers'

Justice Verma said the committee is engaged in-depth global research, and analysed past judgments and public policies. The constitution of this committee is in response to the peaceful countrywide outcry by the youth.

Need good governance, not new laws, Justice Verma added. We got lukewarm response from ministers, he also said.

He, however, added that his commission received almost 80,000 suggestions, including from judges, and professors at Harvard and Oxford universities. Even ordinary people from foreign countries submitted their recommendations.

'Safe environment for women'

He said it is the duty of the State to provide a safe environment for women.

What is needed to enforce laws in the country is sensitivity on the part of those who implement it, he added.

'Delhi police commissioner should apologise'

The Delhi police commissioner, who should apologise for failing to protect women, instead gets a pat on the back, from no less than the home secretary, I was shocked, says Justice Verma.

He also said, "Response was expected from all DGPs, but we hardly got any. If that is the attitude of the DGPs, then we need to change them."

3. 20 pm

Justice Verma panel submits suggestion on rape laws.

The Justice J.S. Verma committee, set up in the wake of the gruesome gang-rape of a physiotherapist trainee, on ways to make rape laws stronger in the country submitted its report today.

Speaking to reporters Justice Verma said he was impressed by the "spontaneous" response of the youth against the Dec 16 gang-rape. Justice Verma said the panel invited suggestions through public notes, NGOs, social workers and academics.

Here are some of the points raised by Verma during his speech:

- What is needed to enforce laws is the sensitivity on the part of those who implement it

- There was total apathy of everyone who had a duty to perform

- Shocked to see Union Home Secretary was patting the back of Delhi Police Chief

- Hardly any response given by state Police Chiefs

- The Delhi gang rape case must be completed in 3 months

- It is because of the youth of this country that the government took action. 2. 50 pm

Rajnath should ensure immoral acts are not tolerated: Advani

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani Wednesday said newly-elected party president Rajnath Singh's biggest responsibility would be to ensure that immoral acts are not tolerated and that the task ahead for the BJP is to be a "party with a difference".

"It is his (Rajnath's) special responsibility that there should be no compromise with anything that's not moral... BJP's task is to prove that it's a party with a difference," Advani said.

"The general elections are due in 2014 and winning elections needs an ability to bring people together, and this he (Rajnath) has in adequate measure," he added while greeting Rajnath Singh on being elected as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president.

Advani also asked Rajnath Singh to make efforts to strengthen the party's lost base in Uttar Pradesh.

"Rajnath is from Uttar Pradesh and we should strive to regain our lost base in UP. Rajnath has focused on agricultural issues and farmers. I am sure he will take the party forward on these principles," he said.

2.15 pm:

BJP to hold countrywide protest against Shinde's remarks

The BJP will hold countrywide protests from Thursday against Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's "Hindu terror" remarks, Rajnath Singh, the newly elected party president, said

"The recent statement of Shinde shows the government is not serious on its fight against terrorism," Rajnath Singh said, addressing party workers here.

"Just for vote bank politics, they are poisoning the atmosphere of the nation with communalism. We condemn the statement," he said.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would hold countrywide protests against Shinde's comments.

1.50 pm:

I quit because of political conspiracy: Gadkari

Greeting Rajnath Singh on his appointment as the new president of Bharatiya Janata Party, his predecessor Nitin Gadkari alleged a "political conspiracy" was behind his decision to opt against a second term.

"I congratulate him (Rajnath Singh). I have worked under his leadership... He has the ability to make us win the 2014 election under his leadership," Gadkari said in a speech here.

"As far as the election for a second term is concerned, there had been attempts through a political conspiracy to link me to an issue I was not related to," Gadkari said, referring to the allegations of corruption against him.

In a high voltage drama at the Assembly Speaker's office, 13 ruling BJP MLAs, loyal to former party strongman B S Yeddyurappa, today made a vain bid to submit their resignation from assembly membership insisting that the government had been reduced to a minority.

The legislators led by Public Works Minister C M Udasi and Power Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who resigned earlier in the day today, reached Speaker K G Bopaiah's office in Vidhan Soudha, the state secretariat, with their hand written resignation letters.

However, neither Bopaiah, who was not in station, nor the Assembly Legislature Secretary Omprakash were present when the MLAs arrived.

BJP will win in 2014 as UPA has failed on all fronts, says Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh, who took over as the BJP President, said he was not happy with the circumstances in which he was taking over as the party chief, according to CNN IBN.

He said, "I'm hurt by the false allegations on Nitin Gadkari ji. I am accepting this post as a responsibility and not a job. The whole BJP is with Nitin Gadkari."

Slamming the Congress and the UPA government, Rajnath Singh said Congress was responsible for the economic crisis in the country.

He also attacked the government over Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's Hindu terror remarks.

While addresssing the media at the party's headquarters, he said that BJP would win the 2014 general elections.

12.00 pm:

BJP announces Rajnath Singh as party president

BJP formally announces Rajnath Singh as party chief.

Earlier, flanked by LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh filed his nomination for the post of BJP president.

11.15 am:

Rajnath Singh is set to become the BJP President as the party's parliamentary board endorsed his name at a meeting. Rajnath Singh will file his nomination shortly and the election will take place in the afternoon.

11.00 am:

Modi congratulates Rajnath Singh

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Rajnath Singh, who is all set to return as the BJP national president.

Modi tweeted: "I called up Shri Rajnath Singh ji and congratulated him. He brings with him vast experience of both organisation and administration."

Today is the last day of filing nominations for the BJP polls and Rajnath Singh is likely to be nominated for the post this evening itself.

Singh's name will be endorsed by BJP parliamentary board which is having its meeting on Wednesday. All the members of parliamentary board have reached the party office for the meeting.

Udasi, who held public works portfolio, told reporters that he and Energy Minister Karandlaje had submitted the resignations to the chief minister.

Udasi also said that he, Karandlaje and over 10 BJP assembly members will also quit the assembly later Wednesday.

9.50 am:

15 killed in bus accident in Bihar

At least 15 people were killed and ten others injured today when a speeding bus rammed into thick iron bars at a revenue checkpost amid heavy fog at Dobhi in Bihar's Gaya district.

The accident happened at Dobhi integrated revenue checkpost under Barachatti Police Station early this morning.

The bus was going from Kalipahari in Gurwa Police Station area to Rajrappa Temple in neighbouring Jharkhand's Ramgarh district when the driver lost control over the vehicle due to fog and hit the iron bars of the checkpost, Superintendent of Police Akhtar Hossain said.

He said a police rescue team has reached the spot and the injured people are being rushed to local hospitals.

A month after the Delhi gangrape-murder, which shocked the nation, the Justice Verma Committee, which was set up to check existing laws and make changes to check crimes against women, is set to submit its recommendations today.

The panel is headed by Justice JS Verma. Citizens were also invited to give their suggestions to the committee.

The Congress in its suggestions recommended life imprisonment for rapists and the death sentence for rarest of rare cases.

9.00 am:

Rajnath Singh is likely to file his nomination at 10.30 am.

8.30 am:

Missing Indian student in UK found dead

Indian student Souvik Pal who went missing on New Year's Eve has been found dead after the British police recovered his body from a canal.

18-year-old Pal was found dead by specialist officers in Bridgewater Canal, near Manchester United's Old Trafford football ground, at 2pm on Tuesday.

Pal, who had enrolled for product design course at Manchester Metropolitan University, disappeared on a night out at the Warehouse Project in Trafford, Greater Manchester.

He was last seen at the event at about 11pm and was reported missing by a flatmate the following morning.

Police which had pursued tracing Pal offered condolences to the family and extended their support.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with Souvik's family at this devastating time and our officers are doing all they can to support them," said Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin.

8.00 am:

Uddhav Thackeray set to formally take charge of Shiv Sena today

On the birth anniversary of Bal Thackeray, his son Uddhav is set to formally take charge of Shiv Sena.

The Sena national executives will meet today to annoint him party President, while his son Aditya will be formally inducted as a Sena neta, reports CNN IBN.

7.30 am:

Gadkari, whose candidature as BJP Party President was being strongly pushed by RSS despite reservations within the party and from L K Advani, was all set for re-election before senior leader Yashwant Sinha decided to throw his hat in.

The move by Sinha, who had earlier demanded Gadkari's resignation in the wake of allegations of impropriety by his firm Purti Group, forced top BJP leaders including Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu and RSS representative Ram Lal into a huddle to deliberate on the evolving situation.

After the meeting, Rajnath Singh's name emerged as the consensus alternative, sources said.

62-year-old Rajnath, who had served as BJP president till 2009 before Gadkari, is also considered close to RSS and that appeared to have tilted the balance in his favour.

Sources said Gadkari is expected to propose Rajnath Singh's name for the top party post today.